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Bedrooms

1 Bedroom

Sleeps 4

Property Manager

Laura

Member Since 2014

Speaks:

english, german, spanish

Calendar last updated:

Nov 14, 2018

About Laura

This picture is 2014 Thanksgiving with friends. I am in the red dress on the left; Raymond is behind the camera.
Raymond and I met in architecture school at Rice University in Houston. He was born in Thailand to Chinese parents and I am just a good ol' Texas girl from the Gulf Coast. We moved to Austin after college and a few adventures on the side in the early 1970's. We moved to the Riverside house in 1985 after spending eight years rescuing the original 1917 house from dilapidation and the City's demolition list. The house was originally the homestead of Captain Frank Haimer, the Texas Ranger that captured Bonnie and Clyde. In the last 29 years here at Riverside we have raised two sons, hosted eight foreign high school exchange students and a Chinese teacher. Our family travels around the country and abroad have taught us the importance of receiving and offering kindness to strangers.
We spend our time socializing with our friends and our grown children over good food and wine. Lucky for us, they are all good cooks and company. Raymond just finished building a forno that we bake pizzas, bread and lasagne.
We like to row singles on Ladybird Lake, walk our dog Mati (Matiise), camp out west in Big Bend, Fort Davis or the Guadalupe Mountains. We keep honey bees (not at this property) and enjoy sharing our bounty with friends. Raymond loves to prune trees, build things and bake bread. I love growing herbs and cooking, but most of all, I like to watercolor.
We look forward to helping you enjoy yourself in Austin. Having lived here over forty years, we know some good places to hang out. We have two bikes, a canoe and some fishing poles for your use.

Laura purchased this Guest House in 1977

Why Laura chose Travis Heights

Travis Heights is one of the stylistically eclectic and culturally tolerant south-of-the-river neighborhoods that gave rise to the slogan 'Keep Austin Weird.' Blunn Creek threads its way through a linear neighborhood park stretching from East Live Oak Street on the south to Sunset Lane on the North. Big Stacy Pool, a free year-round swimming pool, geo-thermally heated in winter, anchors the south end; and Little Stacy Park, with a tennis courts, playground and kiddie wading pool highlights the north end. This neighborhood retains the feeling of th eold Austin that we like to share with others.

What makes this Guest House unique

Large cedar elms and crepe myrtles shade the courtyards to create inviting settings for spending time outside. There is a propane grill, outdoor chairs and tables for your use and a great porch for you to sit on and contemplate the world.
The studio is filled with an eclectic library of travel, art, architecture, cooking and fiction for you to read and take it easy for a quiet afternoon with a good cup of tea or glass of wine. With the eight windows looking north into the treetops, there is definitely a good opportunity to relax and take a nap.

Suitability

Pool / Spa

Stacy Pool is located in neighborhood at no charge. In winter pool is fed with warm spring water.
Barton Springs Pool is ten minutes away by car and is fed by cold springs.

Notes

- Boardwalk on Ladybird Lake is just blocks away.
- Bus stops located on Riverside Drive.
- Within walking distance to SoCo ( .75 mi.) and Downtown Austin (1.5 mi.).
- Property is located in urban area.
- Live music venues nearby.

House Rules

Check-in: 3:00 PM

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Cancellation Policy

100% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 7 days before arrival date.

21 Reviews

Exceptional5/5

1 - 6 of 21

Wonderful Apartment

5/5

Stayed Oct 2018

Ron G.

This apartment is situated in the middle of a beautiful treed property, with a pond and decking. When we were in the apartment, my son said he would move to Austin to live if he could find as nice a place to live. Laura was wonderful in meeting us and helping us get the lay of the nearby land, restaurants, etc. I would stay there again.

Submitted Oct 25, 2018

Wonderful hospitality, comfortable home, great location!

5/5

Stayed Oct 2018

Kari B.

We had a great stay at Laura's place in Austin. The home was very comfortable, nicely decorated, with all the necessary details provided for. The location was perfect for what we needed, within close proximity to downtown, So Congress and Zilker Park. Communication in advance of the trip was great, with directions and local information shared in abundance. Thanks very much for the special hospitality... we look forward to the possibility of staying again sometime in the future.

Submitted Oct 19, 2018

Perfect Base to See Austin with Wonderful Hosts

5/5

Stayed May 2018

Lauren M.San Francisco, California

We stayed for a long weekend (Thurs - Sun) to explore the city. Laura and Raymond were wonderful hosts for my birthday trip to Austin. Not only were there snacks and drinks in the fridge, they'd picked up a happy birthday cake, candle and hand painted a card! The location was centrally located and perfect for exploring the city. Beautiful, historic neighborhood right outside the city. We had an amazing time and will be back soon. Thank you!

Submitted May 9, 2018

Perfect for a romantic getaway

5/5

Stayed Apr 2018

Taylor A.

Great location, clean and the owners were amazing!

Submitted Apr 30, 2018

Texas Hospitality!

5/5

Stayed Apr 2018

UserAlturas, CA

What a great find for our all too brief trip to Austin! We drove from Northern California to Austin for a motorcycle show and rolled into town a day early. When I contacted Laura about the possibility of staying that night she said absolutely! When we arrived, she was waiting for us and showed us the beautiful apartment and left us with many goodies in the fridge! I can't say how we appreciated the cold drinks and snacks that evening after no dinner and 12 hours in the car! The apartment itself is clean and super comfortable and the owners have thought of everything to make your stay a great one. Did I mention that you are walking distance of downtown and South Congress, as well as the river walk area? There was one really bad part of our stay; the day we had to pack up and leave this peaceful, historical property.

I can't wait to return!

Submitted Apr 25, 2018

Festival Fun

5/5

Stayed Apr 2018

Jane B.San Antonio, Texas

Travis Heights apartment was beautiful, convenient, stocked with goodies and very clean. The bed was firm and comfortable, bathroom and shower were easy to use and outside light and views were incredible. We were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go. This place is quite a travelers treasure in Austin. Thank you Laura and David for your Texas hospitality.

In the morning you can walk to Joe's on South Congress, have a coffee with pastry, read the paper, and people watch. Or you could go for a walk or bike ride on the boardwalk . The entrance is two and a half blocks from the studio.

You can swim year round for free at Big Stacy pool. In the winter the pool is fed with natural hot spring water and is a thirty minute walk south from the studio. The children's wading pool and tennis courts are at the north end of the park and just ten minutes away by foot.

There is a bus stop in front of the studio that can take you directly to the Capitol for a tour or picnic on the grounds.

A quick walk to the east will bring you to a stand-up paddle board rental that has lit from the bottom boards. What a great way to see Austin by night.